Tool And Die Maker

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Work Tasks

TOOL AND DIE MAKERS craft precision tools which are used to cut, shape, and form metal and other materials. They also produce jigs, fixtures, gauges, and other measuring devices. Die makers construct metal forms that shape metal in stamping and forging operations. Tool and die makers may repair worn and damaged tools, dies, gauges, jigs, and fixtures. Working from blueprints or instructions, tool and die makers plan the sequence of operations necessary to manufacture the tool or die. Workers increasingly use computer-aided design (CAD) to develop products and parts.

Salary, Size & Growth

• $53,500 average per year ($25.75 per hour)
• A medium occupation (66,500 workers in 2010)
• Expected to decline (0.8% per year)

Entry Requirements

Most TOOL AND DIE MAKERS learn their trade through 4- or 5-years of education and training in formal apprenticeship and post-secondary programs. Apprenticeship programs include classroom instruction and job experience and often require 10,400 hours, or about 5 years to complete. Classroom training usually consists of mechanical drawing, tool designing, tool programming, blueprint reading, and mathematics courses, including algebra, trigonometry, geometry, and basic statistics. Some tool and die makers receive formal training from community and technical colleges, sometimes in conjunction with an apprenticeship.